Lindsborg, Kansas will be the site of three major national chess championships in June and July. The Karpov Chess School’s Executive Director, Tom Brownscombe, said the United States Chess Federation (USCF) notified him that Lindsborg submitted the winning bids for three national championship events: the U.S. Junior Open, U.S. Junior Closed Championship, and the U.S. Cadet Championship. Tampa, Florida hosted these events in 2007.

“As to the U.S. Junior Open, the top junior chess players from throughout the United States will be coming to Lindsborg this summer. This is a great opportunity for the top young chess players in Kansas to play against the best young players in the country,” said Brownscombe. The U.S. Junior Open will be played on July 25-27 and is expected to bring about 150-200 players to Lindsborg.

The U.S. Junior Closed and U.S. Cadet Championships, unlike the U.S. Junior Open, are invitational events that will be held June 13-17. In the U.S. Junior Closed, USCF officials will select the top ten ranked players under 21 years of age who in turn will compete for national honors. The Cadet Championships will be similar except invitations will go out to the top eight ranked U.S. players under 16.

The U.S. Junior Open will immediately follow the second week of the Karpov Chess Camp, which has back-to-back camps scheduled from July 13 through July 25. Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian, winner of the 2007 World Open, will be this year’s guest instructor. Akobian will be assisted by FIDE Master Tom Brownscombe, Executive Director of the Karpov Chess School.

“This is exciting,” said Marck Cobb, President of the International Chess Institute of the Midwest that operates the Karpov Chess School. “We are pleased to be part of the tradition of hosting these prestigious national events.”

The Lindsborg bid was made possible with the help of a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The Karpov Chess School, located at 106 South Main, hosts Social Chess nights at 7p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Beginners are welcome.